jonh[ article submitted to Oregon Ministry Network quarterly newsletter on May 16, 2006 ]
There’s a new tool out there that is steadily growing in popularity and so this is going to be an article on a fairly new online resource that I foresee becoming one of the “next big things”.
Are you ever frustrated with the lack of good content on the web? Are you trying to find infor-mation on how to accomplish a task but become weary the moment you receive the thousands of search engine hits that present nothing of value? Is there a niche item or topic that you wish you could find good information about?
On the other side of the coin … are you well-versed in a niche item? Do you have experience and know-how that others could benefit by but you don’t know how to present that information. You say to yourself, “I’m not a web-designer and I don’t understand how to use blogs, but I do have a lot to offer.”
If you are in either of the two scenarios above, and I think 99% of us are, then there’s a great new resource called SQUIDOO [ www.SQUIDOO.com ].
I was turned on to this site in the past couple of months and have been impressed with its power and ease. All you do is create what they call a “lens” in which you share some great tips and how-to lessons and even recommend certain products so that visitors can purchase the very items you discuss. And the bonus? You actually receive a commission that you can choose to keep or send to a charity.
Looking for an application for your church? What about you as a pastor or active church mem-ber? The application of this tool is far-reaching with the large goal of allowing people to share their expertise with others. What does your church do well and what if you were to take that special part of your church and create a SQUIDOO “lens” regarding that topic?
For example, in your lens you could create a list of how-tos, a list of important website links and your favorite Children’s materials just for your Children’s Ministries. This could be an excellent method to keep your Children’s volunteers informed as well as share your knowledge beyond your congregation. And that’s just one idea. Be creative with this and you can really have fun while informing others.
Here are two examples that I’ve created based upon two areas of interest that I have:
1. Title: Great Tools and Tips for Worship Leading/Songwriting
Link: [ http://www.squidoo.com/worshipmusic ]
2. Title: Web Technology For Churches and Non-Profit Organizations
Link: [ http://www.squidoo.com/churchwebsite ]
The service is FREE so when you have some spare time, visit www.SQUIDOO.com and set-up your own lens and see how easy and useful this site can be.
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